It Starts Young

16 May 2008By airforcewife

I find myself explaining a lot of military humor to people who aren't normally associated with military endeavors.

It's gallows humor, definitely. And then there's the teasing aspect - I can make fun of the Air Force, but God help someone not affiliated with the military trying to. Just doesn't roll well, you know? It's okay for us to call people PowerPoint Rangers, but if some TV pundit tried it I'd be at the front of the spitting line.

And it's not just my husband or myself with these humor issues - my kids pick them up. I think they pick them up in the womb.

In fact, just a few weeks ago we had a bit of an issue with this.

My third daughter is adorable. She's tiny (at nearly 8 years old she barely wears a size 6x) and blond. Sometimes she likes to have pink streaks temporary dyed in her hair. That is my angelic third daughter making a desert terrarium. And trust me, her sweet-as-pie demeanor hides an embarrassing inherited sense of humor.

I'd like you to imagine that cute little thing, all dressed up in a sweet little dress for church. I'd like you to imagine her hop-skip-jumping into church ready to go, the very picture of a good little girl.

Then I'd like you to imagine her telling the 80 year old man who tried to sit next to us on the pew, "Be careful sitting there, I farted on the seat."

Why is it that I'm always horrified when things like this happen, and Air Force Guy thinks it's the funniest thing in the world? Honestly, the man is immune to angry church lady glares!